Forever And Never

TWENTY-SEVEN || ALEXANDER

My eyes are locked on the doors, even as I walk down the runway. Cameras flash around me and blind my vision, but I don't take my gaze away from that one corner of the room.

"Hey, are you alright?" One of the models, Thomas, asks me as I finish walking back. I remove the heavy coat and place it on one of the stools.

"I'm fine," I mumble as I glance at the clock. Twenty minutes have passed, and Sasha still hasn't come back.

Ignoring the confused looks I receive from the audience, I walk over to Mrs. Vienna and Sasha's friend. They have concerned expressions on their faces as well, which only worries me more.

"Why hasn't she come back?" I ask over the booming music. Mrs. Vienna shrugs her shoulders, glancing cautiously at the doors.

"I'm gonna go look for her," Anaya says, standing up and placing her things onto her seat.

"I'll go with you," I reply immediately. Mrs. Vienna looks up at me, shaking her head. She motions to the stage, where a few models are motioning for me to come back.

"Mr. Cruz, you need to get back on the runway!" She protests.

I glance back, giving the models an apologetic look before running towards the back of the room. My dress pants feel tight around my legs as I slam the doors open. Bright lights from outside blind me for a second. I begin to walk, only to feel my foot hit something.

Anaya is already behind me, and she lets out a startled gasp. "Oh my God!"

Cold dread seeps into my skin as I stare down at the body on the floor. A puddle of dark blood has formed on the decorative carpet, staining it and bringing a pungent smell into the air. Anaya begins to cry, trembling as she hurries back into the convention room.

I snap out of my trance and let out a few deep breaths. My mind envisions Sasha, lying somewhere else with blood trickling out of her too, like this security guard in front of me. I immediately panic and run back inside the room.

"Help!" I shot over the pounding music. My voice is simply a whisper; no one turns around. I run towards Mrs. Vienna and pull her away.

"Mr. Cruz, do you mind?" She snaps, trying to pry away from my grip.

I quickly point towards the open doors, practically screaming over the music. "Call 911! Someone is bleeding! We need to find Sasha!"

Her face pales at my words and she frantically fishes her phone out, dialing the three digits with shaky fingers. I can see the panic in her eyes as she tells me, "Find Sasha!"

I can see a few people watching us now in confusion, but I don't have time to explain. Running back outside, I step away from the body and head towards the stairs. Out of all these floors, where the hell would Sasha be on?

My heart is pounding as I dial her number, heading towards the stairway. The long rings only increase my anxiousness, leading me to absolutely nowhere. I begin to run downstairs, preparing to call security, when the rings suddenly stops. My body freezes in response and I start to ramble, "Sasha! Where are you? Are you okay? What floor are you on—"

Loud laughter suddenly cuts me off, leaving me confused. The voice is too familiar to me: Vincent.

My stomach drops and I clutch onto the railing tightly. Breathing heavily, I slow down my words. "What did you do, Vincent?"

He has a mocking tone in his voice as he replies, "We had a nice long chat about little Daniel. You know, I've never felt so excited to talk about death before—"

I pound my fist against the wall, clenching my teeth as rage fills up my body. "I swear to God, Vincent, if you lay a fucking finger on her, I will crush your fucking body into pieces with my own goddamn hands."